BEDFORD, N.Y. – A Bedford residence burned to the ground in the early hours of New Year’s Day. The Bedford Fire Department was called out at about 3 a.m. when a caller reported a neighboring house aflame, according to Bedford Fire Chief Paul Aquilino.

The building at 334 Hook Road was “a vacant residential structure, about 90 by 70 feet, made of lightweight construction,” said Aquilino. “The fire went through the first and second floors.

The four-bedroom, three bath house on eight acres along the Bedford Riding Lanes trail has been listed for sale since March. The asking price was $1.75 million.

Six other fire departments responded to the alarm, said Aquilino. They were South Salem, Bedford Hills, Goldens Bridge, Katonah, Mt. Kisco and Pound Ridge, approximately 50 firefighters in all.

“We began a defensive attack,” Aquilino explained. “We got there a little after 3 a.m. and left about 7:30 a.m. The place was a total loss but nobody got hurt.”

Aquilino said he thought the house had been on the market for a while. The cause of the conflagration was not immediately evident and Aquilino said it is “under investigation.”

“You never like to see this,” he added, “especially around the holidays.”